Playoff runs end for MV, BR, EL

While division champion Susquehanna waited for the start of the D2-11 Class A Subregional, the three other county girls basketball teams began their quest to earn a trip to the championships to be held at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre.

Mountain View 49

Elk Lake 45

After splitting their regular season match ups, Mountain View and Elk Lake squared off at Tunkhannock High School to settle the season series and see who would advance in the District II Class 2A playoffs.

Mountain View’s Sydney Newhart was determined not to let be her senior season end just yet as she led the Lady Eagles past Elk Lake, 49-45.

Newhart led the way from the get-go as she scored 9 points in the opening quarter to give Mountain View an 11-9 advantage.

Jackie Decker kept Elk Lake on pace with 4 of her 12 points.

In the second stanza Newhart kept the Lady Eagles in front with 8 more points. Mountain View took a 25-22 lead into intermission.

Elk Lake closed the gap in the third quarter. Decker outscored Newhart 6-5; but Mountain View held on to a 2 point lead entering the third quarter.

Both squads went back and forth as Newhart knocked down 7 of 8 free throws and Mercedes Zajaczkowski scored 4 of her 10 points. The Lady Warriors took the lead with just over a minute to play. But Elk Lake lost the ball on their next possession and Abby Neri went the distance and was fouled attacking the rim. Neri knocked down both free throws to take the lead. Newhart finished Elk Lake off at the foul line.

Newhart led all scorers with a career-high 29 points, while Decker paced Elk Lake with 12 points. Tamara Voda added 11 including three from behind the arc. Zajaczkowski chipped in with 10.

Holy Cross 66

Blue Ridge 18

Blue Ridge showed some fight before Holy Cross proved why they are a perennial playoff contender in the first round District II match up.

After going winless the previous season and skipping the District II playoffs, Blue Ridge sought to gain experience and reward their seniors for earning two wins during the regular season.

The Lady Raiders battled on the boards attempting to overcome a rough shooting night. When Danielle Goff scored on a put back to cut the Lady Crusader lead to 13-7 in the middle of the first quarter, Holy Cross knew it needed to adjust.

After a timeout, Holy Cross went on a 35-2 run before halftime that extinguished any hopes of an upset and brought an end to the Blue Ridge season.

The Lady Raiders were unable to overcome their 32 turnovers and 8-53 shooting performance from the field. Blue Ridge did manage to out-rebound Holy Cross, 37-35.

Savannah Glover led Blue Ridge with 8 points and Goff added 7.

Old Forge 67

Mountain View 35

With constant pressure and a decisive 13-point run in the first quarter, number one seed Old Forge dispatched Mountain View 67-35 in the second round of the District II Class A playoffs.

The Lady Eagles cut an early deficit to two when Newhart and Regan Cameron scored on back to back possessions to trail 8-6.

Old Forge forced six straight turnovers and went on a 13-0 run to take control of the game and led 21-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Mountain View stayed within striking distance as Mackenzie Bell scored at the buzzer before halftime to trail Old Forge 34-18 at the half.

They cut the lead further at the beginning of the third quarter when Cameron nailed a three and Newhart scored on the next possession to cut the lead to 34-23.

But Old Forge forced turnovers on the next two possessions and put the game away with a 13-2 run.

Cameron led Mountain View with 12 points. Newhart added 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots in her final game as a Lady Eagle.